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Mega Millions Soars to $640 Million, LI Reacts

Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions jackpot soars to $640 million

Five years ago, the Mega Millions jackpot was the highest it had ever been. Valued at $390 million, it was won by two people from New Jersey and Georgia.

That record has been shattered, and as of Friday afternoon the jackpot soared to $640 million—$300 million more since Tuesday’s drawing, which resulted in no first place winner.

“It’s way too much money for one person to have,” said Robert Smith, 21, from Farmingdale, while the jackpot was still at $540 million. “I would give most of it to charity, give another chunk to family and friends, and live happily with $3 million.”

And many people tend to agree.

“It’s so much money, I wouldn’t even know what to do with it,” said college student Shawn Remsen from Wheatley Heights. “There would come a point when you wouldn’t even know the difference between having $100 million less than that, because you’d most likely never live long enough to spend it.”

Others have more peculiar plans with that kind of cash.

“With that kind of money, I would buy pasta,” laughs Teresa Bogan, a video editor from Amityville. “It’s fun to cook, and it’s delicious. I’m not sure I need more than that.”

Rosele Morell, a visitor from Florida, said: “I would take my family on a world cruise for a year, and give much of it to prostate cancer charity works and Holocaust history.”

Others said they would like to help out those less fortunate, including the homeless. “There are too many of them. That’s a big problem that needs to be looked at,” said medical counselor Nelida Melendez.

With such vast wealth waiting to be won, millions in 42 states, as well as Washington D.C. and the Virgin Islands, have been going to their local markets, buying tickets with the hope that they just might be lucky.

“We’ve been selling an average of 2.4 million tickets an hour,” said a spokeswoman of New York Lottery. “And that’s just the beginning. We expect higher numbers later today with the evening commute.”

Find out if you’re the winner tonight at 11 p.m., when the drawing will take place.


Here are some comments from our readers on Facebook:

“I would give my daughter and future son in law an amazing wedding something they have wanted for a long time.” –Alberta Russell

“If I won 500 million dollars I would donate a lot of my share of the winnings to the Pet Safe Coalition, Inc. an all volunteer not for profit 501c3 founded to help keep pets and their owners as safe as possible during disasters. First step is to help pet owners make their own plans for disasters. Pet Safe’s slogan is “Have a Pet? Have a Plan!” — Nancy Lynch

Check out the other comments:

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Long Island PressHey Long Island. It’s Mega Millions Friday! We want to know: What would you do with all that money? Would you quit your job? Let us know. Some comments may be published in a story.

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